Macau Police arrest 17 in online proxy betting ring bust

ce in Macau have confirmed the arrest of 17 people in connection with a HK$10m illegal online proxy gambling ring.

Officials from the Macau Judiciary police confirmed that the gang were using the WeChat social media platform to live stream gambling from a VIP baccarat table at a yet unnamed “Cotai casino”.

The arrested individuals include four local residents and thirteen mainland Chinese, with police confirming the seizure of computers, mobile phones, gambling chips worth HK$1.7m and a small amount of cash at a residential property in the cities NAPE district.

Several members of the group were arrested in the Cotai VIP room itself, with one seated at the baccarat table and the others filming the game via smartphones, while relaying betting instructions received by customers from other members of the gang situated outside the casino.

A spokesperson for the Macau Judiciary Police confirmed to local media sources that the fraudsters operating the proxy gambling ring primarily catered to mainland Chinese gamblers offering them the opportunity to “play real baccarat games in Macau.”

The group offered “two to three” daily sessions of betting activity, with each session involving roughly “40 to 50” gamblers.

Seven Chinese nationals operating a similar operation were arrested by Macau authorities in April.